The Official "What's this DSM worth?" Thread

[Chaosweaver]

Hey i whanna know what you guys have to say abouth these Talon

'91 AWD Metallic blue with silver skirt kit.
Manual transmission. Shifts like butter.
Cloth interior. 3bolt rear end.
Very little to no rust.
Factory Sunroof.
170 original km. Stored in garage last 8 years.
Just installed;
264/272 regrinds.
OEM water pump, OEM T-belt, OEM tensioner, pulleys, b/s removed.
New alternator. New Battery. Caps replaced on ECU.
Oil and Filter change.

Over $900 in parts alone for repairs without labour.


The car was 100% all stock. All the repairs just done and prepped for the road. Bought off original owner.

Alpine cd player.

Sold as is.

Needs windshield for safety.



1991 Eagle Talon tsi turbi awd Coupe - City of Toronto Cars For Sale - Kijiji City of Toronto Canada.

If you can bring him down on the price it would be a good deal, see if you can get it down to $2,000 and go from there. The one thing that is good about it is that its completely stock, so to me its well worth the price.

 

[chrome]

Ok make it simple im trading my acura ###### worth about $3500 for a '97 Eclipse GSX with 140K and an Automatic transmission. He seemed to be up front about any of its issues since we are both driving very far to meet. Are these gonna be more of a nightmare than my shadetree mechanic can handle? What might cause this?

The main issue is he said it's running VERY rich on bank 1 & 2. Says it has 2 bad O2 sensors, So it smells like fuel pretty bad on the outside of the car......Could this actually be the problem or is this maybe something of alot bigger issue?

Also there is a significant amount of rust near the drivers shock tower.

Says it doesn't cut out just is kinda a dog compared to how it was due to the computer being in "safe mode" cause of the O2's?

I did ask if it ticked or had "crankwalk which he said it did not at all .

Is there anything else i should really look for on this car as i am not knowledgeable about these at all. And i'm sorry for being such a newb so don't flame me too hard....

I have always liked these cars even though i heard they are temperamental. But i'm looking for something fun new and different but have no cash really and can only trade. And this just so happened to pop up to trade cause the guy is having a baby and cant use a 2 door.

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[RoryBarron]

If you think your car is worth that much I would make him fix it before trading. If it is running too rich it can wash down the cylinders. This would ruin the rings and mix with oil. The fuel doesn't lubricate well which would then destroy the bearings. What he is saying does sound right, though without being able to see it that is still only an educated guess. Please read up on crankwalk. It isn't common like you believe and can happen with any motor. One easy test to see if the guy is an idiot or not is to make sure the blow-off valve is recirculated. If it isn't and doesn't have a way to compensate for it just pass on it. Any car that isn't taken care of is temperamental. Any other questions or anything that I didn't address? Also you might post pictures of the strut tower rust so we can evaluate it.

 

[68442]

Sounds like a headache to me. Its pretty easy to change the front o2, why hasn't he? I'd skip it.

 

[4Lurker4]

The rust on the strut tower can become pretty bad considering it's a known fault for the 2g's. I'd ask him if it's throwing out any codes as well, somehow I don't see the computer being in "safe mode" for just the 02 and the owner not just changing the 02 sensor (it's only like 80$) considering he's selling it (cars with faults always get less money). Sounds fishy

 

[chrome]

Thanks

These are the pics he has sent me. I asked and he said the BOV is not vented to the atmosphere. But it does have some muffler, a set of lowering springs, and an aftermarket boost gauge. Although he said it's never had a boost controller. all the power windows, locks, sunroof, etc....

 

[AK Maniak]

To be completely honest I'd pass. The things that he is saying are wrong with it are easy fixes, but since they haven't been fixed that would lead me to believe that those are not the only things wrong with it. The car is not worth 3500 IMO

 

[my dreamt dsm]

Op I would wait. I know it's tempting but I waited 9 years... take time to find one that won't give you headaches as much that is running great to start with.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

RUN. Do not purchase a DSM with excessive rust that you aren;t going to rip out and weld back in;.

Forgtice me,. much beer has been had.

 

[Dhan]

Despite the beer that's been had , CB is right. That rust will only spread. Consider this trade very carefully. These are great cars, but are getting finicky in their old age. Not to mention a good number of ppl do not care for them properly. They just see it as the next owner's problem.

 

[danielbo91]

I would't trade bro it looks too much of a pain plus that rust is getting bad it was treated earlier like in the early stages them yea but is starting to eat slowly. Only if you wiling to spent money and getting her restore but is going to cost plus if i was you i would have take it to them mechanic have him you the last word. But i would pass it but if find a gsx shell them get it and swap everything to the shell thats the only way i can see you can get it.

 

[SrKegler]

Going to be a tough call. Personally I wouldn't swap straight across. These cars have problems enough without buying one with existing problems.

His excuse about having a baby doesn't fly. There's enough rear seat room for a kid. The problems he's describing are typical and an easy fix. Seems like if he won't take care of minor problems, he probably hasn't done the normal maintenance.

Any receipts from him on when the timing components were changed? If not, add that expense into the price.

I know the temptation. You're tired of your car and want something different. Personally, I would put your car up for sale, then use the money to find something more reasonable.

 

[gofer]

Lets pick this apart a bit that way you understand why this is possibly a bad idea, at least you'll know what you are getting yourself into. I've got to ask though, is the Acura that you plan on trading for the GSX your DD or only means of transportation?

Strut tower photo: Strut tower rust on a 2g is a fairly common occurrence, fixing it isn't going to be easy though. Like others have mentioned, you're going to have to cut it out and weld in a new piece of metal or you can cannabalize another DSM's strut tower and weld it in place of your's. If you want to read into the subject further here's a good place to start... ---> Strut Tower Rust [MERGED]

Passenger side photo: It looks like its in fairly decent condition. The only defect I can see is the missing Mitsu center cap on the front rim, those are easily replaced for a few dollars.

Rear bumper photo: The hatch is missing the Mitsubishi decal that goes over the driver side tail light, as well as the ECLIPSE text that goes on the center piece. I also see a few black scuffs under the license plate and above the muffler. The muffler is aftermarket but nothing expensive, it might not even be a full exhaust setup just a weld on muffler replacement.

Driver side photo(s): Its missing a piece of trim on the door which is actually hard to come by used and expensive to purchase from the dealer, then you've got to paint it. The stereo antenna appears to be "stuck" in the up position, which is typical but bugs the hell out of me because its supposed to go down into the body when it isn't being used. Theres also that rust under the paint just behind the rear tire, more body work that will need to be done before it keeps spreading.

Spoiler photo: Sun faded, typical of a car thats seen more outdoor parking then being kept in the garage. My car had the same issue when I got it, I looked passed that issue until I was able to fix it. It's typical because of the cheap clearcoat Mitsu uses and I wouldn't be surprised if the hood didn't have a similar problem but he didn't supply a picture of it so who knows?

Interior photo(s): As you can obviously see, the d-seat has a huge rip in it. The car is 14 years old with 140k on it so wear and tear is expected, what worries me is that he didn't supply photos of the center console, d-side door panel, rear seats, or trunk area. GET THEM if you are still interested and considering making this trade.

Engine bay photo: My favorite one to pick apart. Whats all that red wiring going to the (+) battery terminal? Sound system more than likely and who did the install, you could find yourself getting into one hacked wiring job after another if electrical work has been done to the vehicle. It has a 1g bov and an aftermarket turbo, could be a 14b or 16g turbo. Weird he never mentioned either of those modifications? Seeing both of these mods on the car makes me wonder if he's actually telling the truth about the boost controller. Why would someone install a bigger turbo, boost gauge, and 1g bov and not get a boost controller to turn up the boost and go faster? You never know!
It also appears like the owner has replaced A LOT of the coolant system components, possibly trying to fix past overheating issues? These you've got to be weary about, if the car got too hot then it warped the head which will lead to you blowing the headgasket in the future if it isn't already blown.​

If the Acura is your ONLY means of transportation, meaning that if you trade it in this DSM will be your ONLY means of transportation, don't do it. If you've always wanted a GSX and you've got something else you can drive to work/school then I don't see any problem picking up this DSM. The owner ABSOLUTELY needs to get the o2 sensor/fuel trim issues taken care of before I'd even consider this car being work more than $1,500 though.

 

[BurrowZ]

The main issue is he said it's running VERY rich on bank 1 & 2. Says it has 2 bad O2 sensors, So it smells like fuel pretty bad on the outside of the car......Could this actually be the problem or is this maybe something of alot bigger issue?

Did he actually say this? Correct me if I'm wrong but don't our cars only have bank 1? I mean I had been taught that 2 bank cars are V-type or boxer engines which have two cylinder heads and exhaust manifolds.

Personally OP, I would pass. I bought mine for 3200, better running condition, a little less rust, cleanish title and only 88k miles. Same car too actually. Year, color, and tranny. Plus it was bone stock with a terribly wired sound system and I even managed to find a free giant box of air fresheners in the glove box!

 

[chrome]

Wow thanks for breaking that down......seriously. yes it will be my only means of transportation, but I have a pretty legit mechanic that does work cheap . But doesn't know much about foregin cars. Yes I would have never noticed the aftermarket turbo stuff he said it was all stock and never had a boost controller, I asked him that specifically. But the rust I wasn't to worried about really. I might only keep it like 2 years.

Basically if I'm still interested in looking at it what else might I look/check for? I know nothing about these turbo type cars. Thank you all for the help this seems like a really great community and I would really like to become an active member !

 

[gofer]

Follow this link ----> DSM Used Car Buyers Guide

 

[LegacyCore]

If you wish to skip the story go to the bottom please....

Recently I have been in the market for a different vehicle than what I own right now. My current vehicle is a 1992 25th Anniversary Chevrolet Camaro RS, there is really nothing all that special about it. An underpowered 305 v8 with a 700R-4 automatic transmission, and the car is purple haha. I'm bored with it already, and I seriously do not see myself putting anymore money into this car than I already have. But onto the point now...

I have come across a small mom and pop owned garage/lot and sitting in the back of their lot is a 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX. I checked it out, and from first appearances it's pretty rough. It's on all four doughnuts, paint is simply needing completely redone and just over all needing TLC. I was about to pass on it when I figured I would go in and ask about it.

Turns out the car belonged to their nephew who worked for them and was rebuilding it in his spare time. They would buy the parts he wanted, and take the money out of his checks and he worked on it in the shop. Well, about 5 years ago he died in a car accident and the car has been sitting in their shop for the better part of 6 years. They had a ton of people asking about the car, but they did not have the heart to part with it. But I had come along on the right day, because they were ready to gather all the aftermarket parts they had bought for it and sell the car. Only major problem is they lost the title, and had to file for a new one through their shop. Which they said they can do and it would not be a big issue to do so. But they were going to want out of the car what they had put into it, that includes all the aftermarket parts. I told them there was no way I could pay that much for such an old car. But I told them I had a Camaro I could trade straight across if they were interested. They checked out the car, and fell in love with it and agreed they would trade everything they had for the GSX straight across for my Camaro. They stated they were going to start the paper work to get a new title, and gather all the parts for the GSX and get them ready to go with the car. I'm supposed to come back in a week to check on the status of the title.

Here is the story on the GSX now...

1990 Mitsubishi Ecilpse GSX that has been sitting non started in over 6 years. That entire time the valve cover has been removed, as well as the oil pan. The car has brand new with 0 miles:

Head,
5spd trans,
16g turbo
Fujitsu FMIC
17" Enkei wheels w/ Bridgestone tires
Still in the box never installed KYB AGX struts

and a longer list of smaller repair/upgrade parts...

They did cover the cams with grease to keep them from rusting up, and it does look brand new still even with sitting for as long as it has. The motor is assembled and trans installed in the car with the new 16g turbo installed as well. What else that needs to be done, I'm not sure yet and I'm sure it will take time to figure it all out. But the body on the car is perfect, no dings, no dents, no rust. Just bad paint which is easily enough fixed. The interior of the car is 98% complete and I would give a 7/10. The headliner is missing as far as I can tell, but the dash, seats, carpet door panels are all in great shape. No rips, cuts, or cracks at all. And that is all I know about the car, from the sounds of it it's going to be a project and will take me a few months I'm sure to get up and running properly. So now my question is this...

From what I have told you all about this GSX, would it be worth the hassle and time to trade it for my perfectly running 92 Camaro and get it running with all these new parts they have to give me? Or should I pass on this one and keep looking? I do have a garage and a few DSM "masters" that are willing to help me with the car if I get it. One of my friends says to pass on it, the other says go for it. I'm 50/50 right now and have about a week to decide. So please everybody give me advice, tell me the good and the bad with a 90 GSX because I hear they are different in a lot of ways from the 91-94 DSMs. I know this has been a LONG post, but I hope you can all help me. Thanks ahead of time.

Here are some pictures I took of it:

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

Follow this link ----> DSM Used Car Buyers Guide

Thanks for the post, I already read over that before. While it gives good information, it was information that I typically follow anyways. I feel this car being what it is might be worth trading and parking in the garage as a project. But on the other hand I can find reason to not do the trade. That's why I'm 50/50 on the car at the moment... I don't know enough about the DSM in general and would be afraid to get into something that I might not be able to deal with down the road. I'm more than capable of working on cars, but if the over all popular answer from everybody is yay or nay. I'm allowing that to push me either way. But once again thanks for posting that.

 

[fmars62]

I have been emailing the owner and I am considering going to go look at it. What do you guys think? This will end up as my daily driver so I will need it to be reliable.

1997 Eclipse GSX 5 Speed

 

[tenn-gsx]

I would say that a 4g63 DSM is a bad choice for a reliable daily unless you have cash to spend on fixing it up and doing maintenance right off the bat. Or unless you have owned it a while and know its in good shape. Problem with these cars is that they get abused and neglected by 90% of owners. With that said, these can be and quite often are reliable rides when maintained properly. The fuel economy is not as good as many rides though so keep that in mind if that is something that matters to you. The car you linked seems to be in good shape and have allot of maintenance recently done so it SHOULD be a good candidate for being a daily.

 

[dsm144]

That looks like a pretty sharp car but from what I've experienced no matter how good a car looks it always will need a little work to make everything your own. Just find a car you want and feel like you'll be happy with then make it yours!

 

[fmars62]

Im 17 and im going to be commuting to college for 2 years now then transferring I know I need a reliable car but I fell in love with these cars, and Im afraid that after i get out of college and I am on my own these wont really be around anymore, and I really want to et one and restore it completely like everything brand new down to the little bolts. But again Im afraid when Im older all these supporting venders and stuff wont be around then.

 

[nickblackgsx]

That car looks very solid. It sounds like a great deal on a super clean Gsx. But sometimes pics can be very deceiving. Go check the car out and drive it and see what you think about it. There's many things you can check for, do a compression test on it, it only takes a few minutes. Check it out, it looks really nice, great price too! Offer him $5,000 and if you get it for that then it's a steal.

 

[phunny]

If I was looking for a DD GSX that would be her. Like others have said, have money for a break down because it is a USED car and check her closely because pictures do lie sometimes. But looks like a nice car

 

[gofer]

That car would be my choice for a DD DSM too, here are a few links you need to follow.

http://http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/frequently-answered-dsm-questions/238710-dsm-used-car-buyers-guide.html

http://http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/hangout/322182-how-reliable-has-your-dsm-been.html

 

[Novice]

Found a 91 Talon Tsi up for sale. Here is the ad, Anything specific I should check or pay attention too aside from the usual? Seems like it has a new motor in it.

up for sale is my 91 talon tsi 124000 miles on chassis

motor
15k on rebuild .2o
new pistons
rods
water pump
oil pump
timing belt
5angle valve job with new stems seals ,lifters

body is very straight with minor door dings. roof needs some attention cosmetic

suspension 12ways adjustable struts kyb with tockiko lowering springs
has 16inch BBS rims with fairly good tread
full three inch down pipe with muffler ..
16g turbo on stock boost( just replaced evo 16g)
front and rear sway bars
greddy blow off valve
hard pipeing has side mount intercooler on it will include slowboy frontmount with piping
act 6 puck clutch

interior is very clean besides driver seat is the only torn seat (leather)


cons needs paint , roof needs some work. ac needs high pressure switch will have ac fixed before it sold.

Any info would be appreciated, Thank you everyone!